


Your Warmth On A Cool Night

by Asphault



Series: Dream Team (and friends) Drabbles [1]
Category: Dream Team - Fandom, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Boys In Love, Domestic Fluff, Drunk Kisses, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Karl is DRUNK, Light Angst, M/M, No Smut, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Partying, Sapnap is soft, Unrequited Love, dream team, karlnap, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:13:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,199
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27377773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asphault/pseuds/Asphault
Summary: Karl is drunk.Sapnap is his designated driver.and his roommate.and his best friend.and the love of his life.and the guy he kissed, drunk and in love on a Saturday night.
Relationships: Karl Jacobs/Sapnap
Series: Dream Team (and friends) Drabbles [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2011903
Comments: 49
Kudos: 859





	1. Intertwined

**Author's Note:**

> IM AN ABSOLUTE IDIOT AND MANAGED TO ACCIDENTALLY ORPHAN THE ORIGINAL VERSION OF THIS. :) I'm very upset about it.

It's an absolute shock when Karl kisses him.

It's hot and heavy, it tastes like fruity liquor, their teeth knock together, and Karl's large hands are willing Sapnap up on his tip toes by his cheeks. Nick hears a moan, and he isn't sure which one of them it came from, until Karl pulls away for a breath. Nick's able to push his roommate away with a hand against his face, and let the weight of the situation hit him. Karl is so hammered, laughing as he grabs Nick's wrist and presses a shockingly soft kiss to his palm.

Karl and Sapnap are supposed to be friends. They are friends, they’ve got along like a house on fire since the day they met. but now there's a kiss muddling things, there's that affectionate smile coying on Karl's lips as he allows Sapnap to keep him at an arm's length, there's the tingling in all of Nick's extremities. It’s so intense and dizzying, so much so that Nick might even feel a burning itch in the back of his mind - something telling him to kiss Karl again.

For now he takes his friend by the hand and pulls him out of the neon lights that cast purple hues onto Karl's (suddenly beautiful) face, out into the cool night. Nick is breathing hard, and he catches Karl lighting up and squeezing his friend’s hand, watching as their breath clouds out of their mouths in the cold. Sapnap tries not to linger on the way that Karl has him warming from the inside out and the autumn air doesn’t seem to bite as much when their eyes meet.

Being the designated driver, Sapnap is responsible for getting his very affectionate roommate back to their dorm safe. Said very affectionate friend has other plans though, because Nick almost crashes twice on the way home. Karl tries more than once to kiss him again, and he wont stop dragging his fingers through Sapnap's brown hair, babbling about how soft it is. He eventually demands that Karl keep his hands in his lap, and Karl does, giggling and blushing and eyeing Sapnap with a look that’s impossible to discern.

When they get back to their room, Sapnap is overwhelmed with drunken kisses, head going foggy with passion as Karl pushes him back against the door and holds him by the strings of his hoodie. It’s messy, Karl crowding into Nick’s space, sharing his breath. Sapnap doesn’t want to pull away, not like he could. He feels himself grabbing the fabric of Karl’s shirt collar, keeping him close. The taller man finally stops stealing Nick’s breath to welcome fresh oxygen into his lungs, and before he can lean back in, those same hands that were fisting in the fabric of his shirt are keeping him from returning to soft lips and passionate kisses.

"Karl- Karl stop, you're drunk." Sapnap breathes, and Karl does. He _always_ listens to Nick. He closes his eyes and pushes their foreheads together, breathing out an airy, lovesick 'okay' as he nudges his nose against Nick's.

He lets Nick get him into bed, and in turn, Nick lets Karl tug him down into a warm embrace. The double bed forces them to tangle together, and despite being the smaller of the two, Sapnap tucks Karl's head of chestnut hair under his chin. He’s trying not to think too hard about the hungry, lingering kisses, and desperately trying to ignore the hammering of his heart. The urge to protect the man in his arms is a can of worms he does _not_ want to open right now, so he doesn't. The red plush blanket bunched up at the side of the bed calls out, so Nick pulls it overtop their bodies and closes his eyes.

Karl still smells like fruit and booze, and Nick is still reeling, but they're content. The bed is warm, the weight of Karl’s head on his chest is welcome, and Nick’s heat is enveloping the other man so, _so_ well.

‘We’ll talk about it tomorrow.’ Sapnap tells himself as he drifts into slumberland, holding Karl like he might disappear if he lets go.


	2. Apart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karl is hungover.  
> Sapnap is amazing.  
> and handsome.  
> and caring.  
> and funny.  
> and somehow so much cooler than Karl could ever be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeehaw thank you mamas for all the support!!! I'm not sure how long this will be, but I'm so happy that you guys are liking it! Uhhh if you don't like this chapter, the first one can stay as a standalone if you want it to. sooo... yeah! thank you so much for all the nice comments!

Silence accompanied by the aggressive sounds of a throbbing head fill the room. Karl is far too warm for an October morning, and the sound of his own breathing makes him feel sick to his stomach. Loud silence was everywhere until the moment Karl rolled over to avoid the insulting sunlight filtering through the window. Then there was a groan, something throaty and rough. There was a groan coming from _underneath_ Karl. Despite the lethargic, heavy feeling in his arms and legs, Karl threw his all into kicking and elbowing whatever the hell was underneath him. A slew of curses in a heartwarming voice assaulted Karl’s already overwhelmed senses, along with the heavy thud of a body slamming into the ground. 

And then Karl frowned, attempting to look down at Nick and apologize, even though the light forced him to squint and he could barely manage a sentence without wanting to throw up. Nick covered those squinting blue eyes with a hand and hissed out a gentle ‘shhh', leaving with the promise of advil and water.

Leaving Karl _alone_ with the memories of the night that lead up to this moment. 

Apparently however long Sapnap had been gone was far too long, because the minute Karl was alone, remembering those hungry kisses, lingering touches, and overwhelming bouts of _love,_ he had to race to their stupid cramped bathroom and empty his stomach. With shaking hands, Karl grips the edges of the toilet bowl like a life line because he had kissed _Nick_. 

Last night was fireworks. Breathtakingly beautiful with neon hues painting the entire house, the taste of vodka punch turning everything sweet, and the smell of bodies dancing and touching and _loving_ . Karl distinctly remembered spilling half of his drink down the front of his shirt, but he didn’t care because he was with _Nick_. Nick who was all squinty eyes and smiles, barking out that amazing, warm laugh, calling Karl a ‘nimrod’. Even now, with a pounding head, and an upset stomach, Karl smiles because Nick had picked that phrase up from him and him alone. 

Said man comes into the bathroom with an apologetic smile, because he _cares_ so much about Karl. Proof is in his hands, in the form of a cool glass of water and a piece of unbuttered toast. 

They sit like that on the floor of the bathroom, Nick coaxing Karl through small bites of toast and sips of water over the span of 20 minutes. Underneath the morning’s discomfort, Karl feels _so_ embarrassed. He feels like a little kid again, being helped through his sickness with a hand rubbing his back. Except he’s not a kid, and the guy coddling him isn’t a parental figure. It’s Nick, so there’s heat rising to Karl’s cheeks, not because of the pain in his head, but because this is so gross and stupid - except it isn’t, Nick’s looking at him with so much affection that it's boarderline _intimate._

Ending up back in bed is inevitable with the situation Karl is currently suffering through. Nick provided pain relievers and helpful tips for his hangover before hesitantly leaving the bedside and heading off to his weekly study session with George and Dream. 

Once again, Karl was alone with his own mind and the sinking guilt making a home in his chest. Nick is _so_ good. After Karl had bombarded him with kisses, the guy had stayed with him all night and helped nurse his hangover in the morning. Not even a prickle of anger had creased Nick's brow. No frustration when Karl whined and hid under the duvet, none of his usual sassiness or smart remarks about how Karl should've drank less.

Not to mention that Nick is funny. He's attentive, handsome and passionate; Dedicated to his school work more than any of Karl's other friends. Being a youtuber of over one million subscribers _and_ a college student wasn't easy, but it could be done. Nick proved that (as did Dream and George, but somehow Nick is that much more impressive to Karl). 

Nick studied computer science, and while it didn't come naturally to him, he did everything he could to ensure a future as a coder. That meant engineering classes on top of math classes on top of science classes. And Nick worked so hard to get a scholarship to be here. Back in their first semester as roommates, Karl had woken up at 3 am to Nick with frustrated tears streaming down his face while he furiously rewrote an entire project worth of code; simply because he was too nervous to ask the professor for an extension after his hard drive took a shit. .

In comparison, Karl was a cinematography student, majoring in film. That meant drama classes, english courses, and photography. It came so easily to him; being goofy and capturing beauty on a camera, writing english papers and film analyses. Compared to hard working, ambitious, and somehow still so charming Nick, Karl was nothing if not boring.

It's hard to know if the tears welling up in his eyes are from the headache or the overthinking, until Karl realizes the Advil has begun to dull the throbbing in his head. Along with that realization comes a heavy sleepiness. Maybe it's his sleep schedule crying out, but Karl has a nagging feeling that it's the unresolved tension left over from the night before that has him feeling so exhausted and sad.

Without Sapnap in bed with him, Karl shivers under the duvet, cursing the October weather for being so touch and go. 

He curses himself even more for not asking Nick to stay behind and study from their dorm, because he's freezing and alone with his overactive brain and he still has to apologize for last night. 

_'Is it ironic or sad that Nick could solve all three of those problems, but instead he’s solving math problems across campus? '_

_'Don't answer that.'_


	3. Flushed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karl is Dull.  
> Sapnap is Colourful.   
> and warm.   
> and sweet.  
> and honest.   
> and he has the coziest hoodies (at least Karl thinks so).

It’s not long before Karl is frustrated with the cold, kicking the duvet off and marching over to his dresser. First, reaching for a sweatshirt before momentarily noting that he’s  _ still  _ in his punch-stained clothes from yesterday; Then changing into a cozy pair of grey sweats. Looking over his extensive hoodie collection, Karl softens significantly, tension and frustration melting to nothingness when his eyes land on the grey sweatshirt with ‘sapnap’ in fiery lettering. Pulling his fruit scented shirt off, Karl stops with an  _ idea.  _

Kind of a creepy idea to be honest, but not a bad one. He’s cold and lonely and craving his best friend, so he shuffles over to Nick’s closet and spots it. It’s the same soft cotton and same print, but it’s black fabric and  _ Nick’s.  _ A beat of hesitation has zero chance against the warmth rising to the surface of Karl’s skin, and once the hoodie is on, it’s like being surrounded by a hug.  Subconsciously, while checking the time on his phone, Karl is breathing in Sap’s comforting scent. Half past five. Sapnap would probably be home soon, and Karl wasn’t sure if he wanted to confront him about those kisses just yet. Especially not while wrapped up and cozy in Nick’s own hoodie. So after double checking that both his keyring and phone were in the pocket of his joggers, he was out the door. 

The crisp autumn breeze smelled of fallen leaves and on campus coffee, and although it was cold, it was a nice reprieve from the stuffy air in the residence hall. Students were bustling around, probably heading to study groups or the rare weekend lecture, meeting friends or going out for food. It felt good knowing that nobody was any the wiser to the reason Karl was among them tonight - to escape the walls he had pushed Nick against, get away from all the little things that reminded him of late night talks about everything, and the overwhelming loneliness that formed whenever Nick went away.

The world seemed to drain of colour whenever Karl was by himself. No matter how many colour block hoodies he left around the room, or tie dyed bed sheets that his sister sent him from home, everything felt so dull without other people. Usually he could go find Jimmy or Chris to hang out with, but they had gone out of town for their film project, so that was out the window. Burying himself in this crowd of strangers was the next best thing, Especially when he didn’t feel like bothering others with his current crisis. 

Karl was admiring the statue of the school mascot for the thousandth time when footsteps bounded up behind him. A bundle of nerves tightened in his chest as calloused hands covered Karl’s eyes and a gust of far too familiar cologne rushed up with the person. 

“Guess who~” the voice purred, full of mischief and smiles. 

“Sippy cup, why’re you trying to scare me?” Karl asked, trying to ignore how shy he was beginning to feel. He was happy to be in the company of a friend again, but Nick’s hands on his face felt  _ nice,  _ and his scent was so much stronger than the hoodie he was wearing. 

Oh. 

_ Oh. I’m still wearing his sweatshirt.  _

_ Now he’s here.  _

_ Fuck.  _

Nick laughed and moved his hands, swinging around to be at Karl’s side,  _ where he belongs,  _ smiling as he looked him over. Karl felt that same ache of guilt when Nick did a double take at the sweatshirt. 

“Are you feeling better? I was gonna stop by the cafe for a ♪ chocolate croissant~ ♪ ” He sang, looking up into Karl’s eyes. A curt nod was all that Karl could really produce, but it was enough for Nick. The shorter of the two took Karl’s hand and swung them back and forth in between their bodies as he began to walk toward the on campus coffee shop. Usually Karl was the one to cling, walk with a pep in his step, and drag Nick around, but he wasn’t opposed to this. Maybe the smaller man could sense just how much Karl needed this, maybe he couldn't, but either way, he was grateful. And blushing. 

The walk wasn’t far, and if Nick could tell the hand he was holding was sweating profusely, he didn’t say anything. The lighting in Espression (the on campus cafe) was dim and yellow, incredibly easy on the eyes. It smelled strongly of coffee beans and cinnamon, and something sweet that was impossible to place. Since there was no line to wait in, Nick tugged Karl to the counter effortlessly, ordering his croissant and a black tea. 

“Want anything?” 

“Wha?” 

“I asked if you wanted anything.” Nick chuckled, looking at his taller friend with a soft smile. 

Karl grimaced. The cafe smelled amazing and the only thing he had eaten all day was a sad piece of toast, but he hadn’t had the mind to bring his wallet. “Nah dude, i forgot my wallet.” 

Nick rolled his eyes unceremoniously and turned to the girl at the till, pointing to a random pastry through the glass and asking for a second tea. Karl thought about protesting, but knowing Nick, he’d stubbornly tack extra sweets onto the order out of spite. 

After receiving their drinks, the two of them had tucked into the corner spot Karl had always loved. Other than the top 20s playing overhead and the whirring of machinery back by the counter, it was quiet. They had fallen into an awkward silence the second they sat down, eyes flickering from one another to their beverages, and out the window.

It was eating away at Karl, so he spoke up, “Hey, I just-”

“So about last night-” 

Both of them stopped in their tracks as their gazes met sheepishly. Nick was trying to laugh the mishap away, Karl felt a blush rising to his cheeks. He tried again, “Sorry, you first-” 

“What was that-”

They stopped again, staring at each other for a beat of silence before laughing harmoniously, like they usually do. The tension began melting away and Karl let his shoulders relax as he lifted his mug to his lips. Ignoring the way it burned his tongue, he gestured to Nick, hoping he would get the hint and say whatever he was going to say. The brunette across the table cleared his throat and nodded. 

“Right, so,” he pauses to stuff his mouth full of croissant, “I wanted to talk about last night.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :0 more soon, i promise!


	4. Content

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sapnap is hopeful.  
> Karl is nervous.  
> and overwhelmed.  
> and paralyzed.  
> and a crybaby.  
> anything but a drunk fuckup.

Nick is watching with a relaxed, casual air to him as Karl splutters on his barely-steeped tea, covering his mouth with the sleeve of his - or Nick’s - hoodie. His blue eyes squeeze shut as he swallows the burning liquid down with a little shake of the head. Karl is trying to collect his thoughts when Neon Trees’ _Sleeping With a Friend_ begins to play in the room. It’s painfully ironic in this moment, when their eyes meet and Karl manages to nod. 

“Oh, yeah. Wh-what’s up, man?” 

With smooth nonchalance, Nick hums to the first few lines of the song and takes another bite of his pastry. He’s always had this awful habit of talking with his mouth full, but Karl has never really minded. Especially not now when he’s anticipating the absolute worst and Nick is taking his sweet time. This time however, Nick didn’t say anything. He raised an eyebrow at Karl and gave him a bit of a challenging look. They both knew what they had to address, but it seemed neither one of them wanted to. 

Karl feels his stomach sinking, so he turns to look out the window. The sun was just barely peeking over the horizon line, painting the world in a smokey orange. The universe seemed to be screaming to him, urging to him that this was their moment. Why else would Karl be sitting in an unusually empty coffee house, just Nick and himself, painted in warm oranges and yellows, surrounded by sweet scents and Neon Trees insisting that they remember last night?

Karl sucks in a deep breath, but Nick beats him to it, propping himself up on his elbow, “Do you remember kissing me last night?” 

Another sip of scalding almost-water gave Karl the courage to nod his head shyly, refusing to meet his friend’s gaze. “Yeah. I’m sorry.” 

There’s a beat of silence, so Karl takes that que to look up at Nick. He’s picking at the skin around his thumb nail, eyes cast down at the table. The composure from before has morphed into something far more unsure and worried. 

“It’s okay, dude. You don’t have to be sorry.” 

“Then I’m not.” 

Nick’s head lifts and his eyes widen to meet Karl’s. Karl is still so flustered, eyes beginning to sting with embarrassed tears. He didn’t want to keep running from this feeling - the absolute catharsis that washes over all six senses when Nick is around. It’s something akin to love, and Karl dares to think that maybe it _is_ love, because Nick is breaking into a smile. Karl feels the tension easing, even as his blush deepens and he begins to actually _cry._

“So you want to kiss me then? It wasn’t just a drunk fuckup?” Nick asks, and despite the sharky, playful grin on his face, he reaches across the table to thumb away Karl’s tears. A sob shakes Karl’s shoulders as he nods, furiously wiping at his eyes. 

_God I’m such a crybaby._

A half-sob half-laugh leaves Karl’s mouth, “What the honk, of-of course not-” 

There’s no time to finish what he was saying, because Nick stands, bracing himself on the table’s surface as he recklessly leans over their drinks to kiss Karl. It’s chaste, far more calculated than the last one they had shared. Karl melts, forgetting to kiss back and relishing in the feeling of Nick’s soft lips. The younger man sits back in his seat, narrowly saving his tea from spilling everywhere as the two of them look at one another. Karl resists the urge to throw himself over the table and into Nick’s arms, if not for the fact that they are in public, then for the safety of their drinks. 

“Karl, be real with me, okay?” Nick reaches for his hand, rubbing Karl’s knuckles with the same thumb he had been picking at just moments earlier, “What does this mean?” 

The song ends overhead, and Karl feels as if he’s short circuiting, overflowing with so much love and want that he can hardly manage to welcome oxygen into his lungs.

“FuckNickIJust-GodILoveYouSoMuch” He breathes, unable to register that he’d actually spoken. There’s a pout on his lips and he’s crying so hard, because he’s so in love, and all of his insecurities and confusion are crashing down around him; creating so much racket that he can’t hear whatever is playing now, flashing colours and TV static encroaching on his vision, and Nick is everywhere.

“I love you too, Karl.” 

And then it stops. 

It’s just the two of them at a table as dusk falls outside. Nick is laughing and smiling, so much so that his cheeks are beginning to ache. There’s an unmistakable fondness in the way he looks at Karl. The world has calmed down and everything has stopped whirlwinding. 

_You love me?_

“Okay.” 

“That’s it? Just okay?” Nick teases, smiling as Karl nods and his face blooms into that beautiful smile, all shy eyes and blushing cheeks. Karl can’t stop the tears from falling as they finish their drinks and sweets, but that’s alright. Nick does all the talking, he doesn’t mind filling the space with his calming voice. 

He goes to take his hand back and Karl’s breath catches, glassy blue eyes widening. So their hands stay intertwined. “I’ll hold your hand forever if you want.” Nick offers, and he means it. 

$10 tip to the girl at the counter, Karl insists nonverbally, for putting up with the crying and PDA. She smiles and tells the two men to have a great rest of their night. Karl feels invincible to the cold night, so they commit to sharing body heat and wander under the streetlamps, back to their stuffy dorm room. Karl cracks open a window, still too amazed by the night to speak. Nick tosses himself onto his bed, opening his arms and making kissy noises until the taller man settles on top of him, into the warm embrace. 

“Promise not to kick me off when we wake up?” 

Karl barely manages an ‘mhm’ because he’s pressing kisses all over Nick’s neck and jaw and cheeks and nose, forehead, everywhere he can reach - and Nick is smiling in that breathtaking way, eyes crinkling at the edges as laughter bubbles from his chest. They stare into each others eyes for a moment, brown on blue, just soaking in the love. And then they kiss. Soft and warm, it tastes of earl gray and chocolate. It feels undeniably like home; Nick’s hands on the sides of Karl’s face, keeping him in place. 

Pulling away from Nick’s lips is like resurfacing from a few seconds too long under the water, and in that moment Karl knows he could drown in this feeling. 

_I want you to love me into the ground._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeehaw!!! I have plans for one more chapter after this one! thank you all so so so much for the comments and kudos and bookmarks and everything! this is the first story I've shared on here so I'm glad yall like it. Expect more from me soon!


	5. Unity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karl and Sapnap are enamored.  
> and clumsy.  
> and awkward.  
> and cute.  
> and now, together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> final chapter yeehaw!!! I'll def be writing more Karlnap in the future, super comforting ship for me! Until then, I'm writing a DreamNotFound fanfiction called 'Tall Americano, Iced'. It's a coffee shop au! and also Niki and Wilbur and Big Q are there, check it out B)

Karl wakes up, tangled up with the most amazing person. Sunlight pours through the window and dances across Nick’s features, turning his hair into threads of summertime gold. The bird nest in the tree outside is active with chirping songbirds. It’s almost painful knowing there’s class to attend, because Nick looks so ethereal, it’d be far easier to just stay here and study the gentle rise and fall of his chest. A heartbeat underneath Karl’s head that soothes his soul indefinitely; getting out of bed feels impossible. 

Playing with the idea of missing a lecture, Karl bites down on his lip. A sense of pride comes from his near perfect attendance record, but it would be worth ruining to just bask in this moment a while longer. Nerves tear Karl apart in every sense. Never having been in a relationship with another man before is part of the reason, but the real catalyst is the idea of this not working out. One of them losing interest, having to move away, falling in too deep. There’s so much that can go wrong, and rather than deciding whether to go to class or not, Karl is preparing for the worst. 

He shoves his face into Nick’s chest, nuzzling into the soft fabric and breathing him in. 

“Stop freaking yourself out, dude.” a sleep addled voice says, thick in Nick’s throat as he cards his fingers through Karl’s hair, eliciting an embarrassed whine. 

“Sorry for waking you up…” Karl says, totally muffled because he’s talking into another body. He feels himself melting into the way Nick massages his scalp, rubbing the worries and anxieties away effortlessly. The younger starts humming some indie song, clearly unbothered after being woken up, and Karl wishes more than ever that he could skip the lecture. “Don’t wanna get up~”

There’s an audible pout in Karl’s voice, and Nick presses a kiss to his chestnut brown hair, “You have class, yeah?” He pats Karl’s back just a bit too hard, “Get that sexy ass up, boi!” 

It’s normal. It’s so jarringly normal, and there’s a huge grin breaking out on Karl’s face. Unknowingly, Nick had killed off all those worries about how things would change for the worse. Because Nick is still Nick, charming and sweet with that special kind of humor that only comes out around Karl. That’s enough to get him up on his feet, kissing the other man’s cheek and running to the bathroom to clean himself up. 

Nick lays in bed for another hour after Karl leaves, having made sure to give him the biggest hug before he left. Surreal is the only way to describe the last few days. Everything that Nick associated with normalcy flipped on its head in the best way possible. He’d have to relearn how to live - how to balance affection with friendship, how to avoid being too touchy, how to divide his time now between friends, family, and a boyfriend. 

_Boyfriend?_

He’d never actually asked Karl what they were after all those love confessions. “Well this aint gonna fly.” Nick says, sitting up and reaching for his phone, a fiery determination brewing from all the love he had soaked up in the last 24 hours. 

_'_ _SEND HELP_ ’ is the conversation opener, along with an extremely ugly photo of Nick, blurry and angled poorly as he pulls a panicked face. 

**Gogy wogy:** wtf 

**Dweamy weamy:** ew are you being gay again 

**Sappywappy:** says you

 **Sappywappy:** not gonna bore u idiots with the details (also u dont deserve them) but i wanna ask karl to be my boyfriend plz help

That’s how the three of them end up outside the drama building on campus with ridiculously huge bouquets of roses. George had insisted it would be romantic, having worked in his mother’s flower shop back in the UK, he knew the meanings of way too many flowers (although, he needed a lot of help identifying the colours). The local florist didn’t have much other than roses on short notice, but George helped them make due, insisting that the red and white would be classic. So there the were, standing with Nick in the middle, arms full with a red and white bouquet of roses, George on the right with red. Clay’s arms are full of the white petals and he’s trying so hard not to cough, because the fragrance is everywhere. Nick is bouncing nervously on his heels, because what if Karl doesn't like roses? Or got out of class early? Or-

_Oh shit there he is._

The man in question walks out of the center doors, Minx in tow, laughing at something they were talking about. Mind going 50 miles an hour, Nick recites what he had planned to say over and over again as the target approached, absorbed in their conversation. Minx catches notice of the flowery team, stopping to point as she looks up at Karl with a splitting grin. Eyes landing on Nick, then George, then Clay, Karl stops breathing.

“Um- Fucking hell this is so cheesy, I can’t believe I let you talk me into this” Nick says, heart thudding against his ribcage wildly as his confidence falters. Clay and George don’t even need to look at one another as they both elbow their friend in the side.

“Ow! So,” Nick takes a step toward Karl, “Last night was… probably the best night of my life. I’ve decided that I want to be bold for you. I want to give you the world, Karl.” Casting a look over at Clay, to the red flowers, Nick smiles gently as that confidence he promised floods back into him. Clay comes to Karl then, handing off the red roses with a curt nod before returning to George’s side. He’s finally able to sneeze. 

“Because.. You are an angel, Karl. I can’t get enough of you. Shit this is so embarrassing-” Nick allows himself to laugh, smiling at the lovely man in front of him, “ you give me so much energy, and hope…” George then hands Karl the bouquet of white roses and, patting Nick on the shoulder as he goes back to his place. “And I want us to be together. That’s- I dunno, that’s what George said these stupid flowers mean,” Nick looks at the red and white buds he’s clutching to his chest, then back up, “It means togetherness. Like- I dunno, I just really want to be your boyfriend, dude.” 

Karl shoves the two bouquets into Minx’s arms and she laughs joyously, watching as Karl throws his arms around Nick, squishing the two toned flowers between their chests. 

“You’re so stupid, don’t make me cry out here!” 

“I know I’m stupid! So? What do you say?” Nick insists, pulling out of the embrace just enough to look into those beautiful baby blues. 

The blue eyes in question roll despite the gloss of tears welling up in them, “Of course I want to be boyfriends. What kind of dumbasses say ‘I love you’ and then just move on?!” Karl laughs, trying his best to rescue the plants in between them and pass them to Minx’s safe arms. 

“George and Clay.” 

“Oh, _shut up!_ ” 

* * *

And that’s how it goes. The five of them walk back to the residency hall, bathing in rose fragrance and the potent feeling of fulfillment. Things are the way they’re supposed to be, Clay, George, and Minx carrying the flowers so that Karl and Nick’s fingers can intertwine. Between the rain clouds rolling in, and Clay’s sneezing, and Minx spitting at George as the newly committed boyfriends laugh, there’s nothing more perfect than this moment. Coated in sugar-sweet love, and bathed in floral perfume, Nick and Karl are happy. 

They’ll take on anything, because they’re so much stronger together. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fnnfndjeknsjskejnk let me know how yall felt bout this chapter idk


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